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The Great One Turns 50!

Wayne Gretzky turns 50 on the 26th of this month.

There are many great individuals in sports - in and away from the game.
But how many among them can truly be dubbed an icon?
That's a distinction that could certainly apply to Wayne Gretzky.
As part of TSN's celebration of Gretzky's 50th birthday, TSN.ca unveils 50 Great Ones - the Top 50 iconic moments, images and achievements from his unparalleled career.

Re: The Great One Turns 50!

Happy Birthday to Gretzky.

Since we are apparently sharing clips, I figured this would be worthy.

Probably the most controversial moment in his career in what turned out to be one hell of a performance by Gretzky. He actually calls this game the best of his career. Surely all Leaf's fans remember this.

A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave. - Mahatma Gandhi

Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm - Sir Winston Churchill

Re: The Great One Turns 50!

Success continues to find Gretzky during the 1984-85 season.
He wins the Hart Trophy for the sixth consecutive year, the Art Ross for the fifth, the Lester B. Pearson for the fourth and makes his fifth First Team All-Star appearance at center.

Leads the NHL in 1984-85 with a plus-98 rating.

In 1984-85, Gretzky ranks first in goals, assists, points, shorthanded goals, shots on goal and consecutive-game point streak.

Breaks his own single season record with 135 assists in 1984-85.

During the 1985 postseason, Gretzky rewrites the record books, with 30 assists and 47 points in one playoff year.

Gretzky keeps raising the bar for points in one season, including playoffs, registering 255 in 1984-85.

Re: The Great One Turns 50!

Since you are posting all of Gretzkty's accomplishments, I figured it would only be proper to attribute some of his success to his highly touted protection...

At first Gretzky did not want to leave Edmonton, but he later received a call from Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall while on his honeymoon asking permission to meet and discuss the deal. Wayne informed McNall that his prerequisites for a deal to take place were that Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski join him as teammates in Los Angeles.

McSorley arrived in Edmonton in 1985, after the Oilers acquired his services from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Oilers general manager and coach Glen Sather felt he could never have too much protection for his speedy star players. He also felt that if the Oilers had enough raw toughness to intimidate the opposition, the ice would open up for Wayne Gretzky

Re: The Great One Turns 50!

Number of seasons which Gretzky scored 50 or more goals: Nine.

Gretzky had a run of eight seasons in a row from 1979-1980 to 1986-1987 in which he scored 50 or more goals. In his first season with the Los Angeles Kings he score 54 goals thrilling fans in L.A. with a tremendous run in the playoffs. In five of those seasons, Gretzky led the NHL in goals scored.

Number seasons Gretzky scored 50 goals in less than 50 games: Three.

Wayne Gretzky set a record that will likely never be broken again in 1981-1982, just a season after Mike Bossy of the Islanders scored 50 in 50 games. That season, Gretzky scored 50 goals in just 39 games serving notice that the NHL was about to be turned on its ear. That season, Gretzky finished with an NHL record 92 goals.

In 83-84 and 84-85 Gretzky did 50 in less than 50 again. In 83-84, he pulled the feat off in 42 games while the following season he did it in 49 games. After setting the bar at such a ridiculous level in 81-82 it seemed almost like a let down when he pulled off the feat in back-to-back seasons, but only one other player ever pulled off 50 in 50 in back-to-back seasons after that (Brett Hull in 1990-1991 and 1991-1992).

Number of career games scoring three or more goals: 50

Hat tricks are all the rage now, but Gretzky turned it into a fine art and a source of expectation. Going above and beyond that turned some games into a bonus treat. 37 times in his career he had a hat trick. He also had nine career four-goal games and four career five-goal games.

Number of professional seasons in which Gretzky didn’t score 50 or more points: One.

1994-1995 was the lockout season in which the NHL had a shortened 48-game season. Gretzky had 11 goals and 37 assists that year good for 48 points. In even a shortened year, Gretzky still averaged a point per game.

Number of seasons Wayne Gretzky had 50 or more penalty minutes: Two.

Wayne Gretzky was never a goon or an enforcer by any means as he had a long list of players willing to take up for him. Whether it was Dave Semenko or Marty McSorely, Gretzky had someone watching his back at all times. The fact that Gretzky managed to steer clear of the rough and tumble days of the NHL in the 80s is pretty incredible on its own. Then again, Gretzky was also a five-time Lady Byng Award winner as the league’s most gentlemanly player.

Re: The Great One Turns 50!

I'm surprised there is no mention of Gretzky's stint with the Greyhounds. 1977-78, Gretzky put up 70 goals and 112 assists for 182 points. Incredibly, that was still 10 points less than Bobby Smith. I wasn't even born, but he must have been awesome to watch when he played here.

Another tidbit I forgot to add: It was with the Greyhounds that Gretzky started to wear 99 as his jersey number, because his usual number 9 was already taken by Brian Gualazzi. So the Sault was when we first saw him wear that legendary number.

Re: The Great One Turns 50!

Coming from a guy that never played the game....
Overrated?
When have you seen such a big deal over a birthday?
It just goes to prove what I have always said.
No one has ever effected the game like Gretzky, no one!
That's why he is the Greatest!

Re: The Great One Turns 50!

Originally Posted by Jack Butler

Coming from a guy that never played the game....
Overrated?
When have you seen such a big deal over a birthday?
It just goes to prove what I have always said.
No one has ever effected the game like Gretzky, no one!
That's why he is the Greatest!

I never played?

You're right...I mean besides the seventeen years I played, and 14 years I officiated.

Re: The Great One Turns 50!

Originally Posted by RWGR

I never played?

You're right...I mean besides the seventeen years I played, and 14 years I officiated.

Yeah right!
Seems to me you don't understand enough of the game to have ever been a player.
Your above comments are a prime example.
Ball hockey and officating ball hockey don't count, sorry!
Ha, ha, ha and you admit to being a ref in Soo Mich...aha, ha, ha, ha!

Re: The Great One Turns 50!

Originally Posted by Jack Butler

Yeah right!
Seems to me you don't understand enough of the game to have ever been a player.
Your above comments are a prime example.
Ball hockey and officating ball hockey don't count, sorry!
Ha, ha, ha and you admit to being a ref in Soo Mich...aha, ha, ha, ha!

I even officiated some Steel City games, when they had to hold some at the Big Bear Arena. We did such a good job the Soo, Ontario, officials association put an injunction against us being able to officiate the tourney again. We showed them up, big time. All the teams wanted to play over here, and have us officiate.